Su Maistu de Linna

THREE QUESTIONS FOR SU MAISTU DE LINNA

A true family workshop, Su Maistu de Linna counts son, brother in law and father that carry on the work from the past generation. Pierpaolo Mandis, aforementioned son, remembers the stories his grandfather would tell him of the years he spent building and selling chairs throughout the island. Loaded onto a large red truck, they would pass from town to town exchanging chairs for whatever the people had in abundance. Su scannu was a fireside chair, a chair to pull up for visitors, a chair to use for seasonal chores like peeling fava beans together. It was, in short, a chair to use in company with others. His grandfather insists he was the first to bring wooden chairs throughout the island and that su scannu therefore originates from Mogoro itself. "My grandfather was a character," says Pierpaolo, "so I won't say that's the truth. But, until I see proof to the contrary, I won't say it isn't true either."

1. Define tradition.

For us, tradition is also life, I mean, we live from tradition; it's our identity. Knowing how to use the ancient techniques and reinterpret them for today. Always remembering that what is a reinterpretation today will become the tradition of tomorrow.

2) What do you love most about your job?

The freedom. The freedom to create what we want with our own hands.

3) Your favorite place in Sardinia?

We used to travel throughout the entire island on an oxen-drawn cart, and it was rough, it was beautiful and raw. So there is no favorite place; every place is different, every place has its beauty. There is something, though, about the area of Sinis from Tharros on up.